Letter to the Centre for Public Security & the Commander 1^st Krajina Corps in Banja Luka (Prot. no: 300/95 dated 4 May 1995)

I MOST ENERGETICALLY PROTEST AGAINST THE SERIOUS CRIMES BEING COMMITTED AGAINST THE REMAINING CATHOLIC CLERGY AND THEIR PROPERTY

Dear sirs!
Following our recent telephone conversation, in which I advised you of the forceful abduction this afternoon of Catholic nuns from the ancient convents in Bosanski Aleksandrovac and Nova Topola, I am reiterating it in writing. You are well aware of the dramatic situation faced by the nuns in these two convents since 1992, which, due to your intervention, has somewhat calmed down lately.

The latest act of violence against these totally innocent nuns, mostly elderly sisters, under the noses of your officials has seriously disturbed the Catholic population in this entire region. I am afraid that this will bring about negative repercussions not only for us, those Catholics still remaining in the area, but for the actual authorities as well.

Therefore, I express my most energetic protest against this serious atrocity against Catholic nuns and their property (the ancient convents), while I myself am personally undertaking all measures to protect those unprotected Serbian Orthodox people from western Slavonia by asking that these people be guaranteed their basic human and civil rights and liberties, including the right to life, a home, property and a homeland by the appropriate authorities and institutions. At the same time, the Catholics of my diocese in the Banja Luka and Bosanska Gradiska region are being faced with even greater oppression and threats to our lives and property. We are being banished - we who have not created any problems for anyone - from our ancient hearths.

We justly expect you to decisively undertake measures for the protection of lives and property for all citizens of the RS, amongst whom are we Catholics, Croats and others.

We ask that you undertake all that is in your power to stop the violence and to prevent even further evil.

Respectfully yours!

Dr. Franjo Komarica,
Bishop of Banja Luka

c.c.
- Ministry of Religion of the RS
- Headquarters of the RS army - Pale
- Interior Ministry of the RS - Pale
- Papal Nunciature - Sarajevo (Rome)

Next: ALLOW US ACCESS TO OUR CONVENTS IN NOVA TOPOLA AND BOSANSKI ALEKSANDROVAC